1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a tube valve, to an actuator mechanism for a tube valve, and to a jaw for holding tubing. One specific embodiment of a tube valve according to this invention is for a valve for tubing used in blood transfusion systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art tube valves have included valves with a fixed holding member for holding tubing placed therein and a movable valving member or plunger which is pushed against the tubing to pinch it together, thereby preventing flow through the tubing. In order to open this prior art valve, i.e. to release the plunger so that flow through the tubing is resumed, air supplied by an air compressor is used to activate a movable member connected to the plunger thereby retracting it and opening the valve. Any problem rendering the air compressor inoperative resulted in an inoperative valve. A variety of leakage problems are also associated with this prior art valve. When an extending push button is used to activate the plunger, there is a leakage path around the push button. If the button is mounted near or above other mechanisms or electrical or electronic components, severe problems ensue when these elements are subjected to the leaked fluid being pumped. Other areas of leakage include the interface between a base for the valve and a cabinet panel or top to which it is mounted and the non-sealed area around the movable plunger. When working with blood or saline solutions being transmitted through tubing, a leak onto computerized circuits used to control a blood transfusion system can be disastrous.
Correct installation and routing of tubing in a typical blood transfusion system is a complex task. In a typical auto-transfusion system disposable sets of flexible plastic tubing are used in the form of a multi-branch line which flows into a single trunk line. Tube valves control each of the branch lines. Such systems use spring-loaded closed valve designs, particular for instances of power failure or machine failure. Set-up of such a system done in a powered-down mode requires that the operator must open the valve against spring force and insert tubing into each branch. A certain amount of adjustment is necessary to insure that the tubing is properly positioned. The valve's plunger had to be depressed (i.e. moved out of pinching contact with the tubing) in order to install or remove tubing. In the case of a power failure, the actuating mechanism could be depressed manually by the operator to open the valve. Such manual operation would require an operator to hold the actuating mechanism down with one hand with sustained force so that the plunger would be maintained in the depressed position while adjusting the tubing's position with the other hand, then often having to repeat the sequence several times until the tubing was set properly.
Since the prior art valves are spring-loaded-closed often with relatively large force against soft plastic tubing, occlusion of the tubing of varying degrees occurs.
Without admitting that anything disclosed is analogous, pertinent, or prior art, in accordance with 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1,56 the following are disclosed:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,692,136 Blood centrifuge with which present tube valve is useful 4,684,361 Blood centrifuge with which present tube valve is useful 4,549,860 Blood pump 4,151,844 Blood separator 4,086,924 Plasmapharesis apparatus 3,634,228 Centrifuge with flow lines with clamps (items 13, 26 in the Figure) 3,244,363 Centrifuge apparatus with complex flow lines 3,145,713 Blood processor PCT Application Disposable centrifuge with WO 85/02561 forceps or hemostat clamps for flow lines (FIG. 13; text p. 13 top) Publications "Cell Saver 4", Autologous blood recovery system Haemonetics with tube valves Corporation, 1984 "Packed Cells in 3 Tube valves, p.3 Minutes" Haemonetics Corporation, dated prior to 1986 "Haemonetics", Blood processor instructions, instructions for particularly paragraphs 11-17 Haemonetics dealing with tubing and Corporation unit, clamping. dated prior to 1986 "BRAT.TM." Kardiothor, Tube valves Inc., 1986 ______________________________________
Applicant considers U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,228; PCT Application WO 85/02561; and the above-listed publications to be more relevant then the other listed references. Applicant's assignee is the owner of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,692,136 and 4,684,361. Applicant's assignee was previously known as Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. and is the manufacturer of the BRAT.TM. transfusion system described in the above-listed "BRAT.TM." brochure.
There has long been a need for an efficient tubing valve which does not leak; in which tubing is easily installed; which does not require a sustained force by the operator to hold it open; which does not occlude tubing; and which can be easily operated in a manual mode.